The Emirates A380 – a premium hotel in the sky

Your business trip is underway and what better way to revive your senses than take a long, hot shower.

Individually wrapped amenities give that personal, comforting feeling that we all appreciate away from home, and an attendant is never far away to make sure the facilities you use feel like you're the only person using them.

The Onboard Shower Spa in the First Class of the Emirates A380 aircraft.

The Onboard Shower Spa in the First Class of the Emirates A380 aircraft.

Emirates’ A380 Business Class features a new generation of intelligent seating, designed to ensure all seats have aisle access, cleverly designed tables that never get in the way, and a seat that slickly becomes a flat bed and laptop stowage.

Emirates’ A380 Business Class features a new generation of intelligent seating, designed to ensure all seats have aisle access, cleverly designed tables that never get in the way, and a seat that slickly becomes a flat bed and laptop stowage.

More generous seats and wider aisles in the Economy Class of Emirates’ A380.

More generous seats and wider aisles in the Economy Class of Emirates’ A380.

Refreshed, you step out of the Shower Spa and head to the bar where an enticing selection of beverages awaits. Now you can really unwind.

Sinking into the leather lounge seats and exchanging views with other international business people, the setting has all the hallmarks of an exquisite, meticulously run 5-star resort.

The only difference is you are at 43,000 feet.

Welcome to the Emirates' A380. It has been eight years in the making, but it is more than worth the wait.

Venture on board and you will see why. Immediately, you're overcome by the sense of space. This is a gargantuan aircraft and every inch of space has been carefully designed to give our passengers the best experience in the sky.

This is nothing short of an airborne hotel and the 24 cabin crew, donning their new look uniform, will be more than happy to tell you all about it. The Emirates' A380 revolutionises air travel and offers a level of comfort and space never seen before on a commercial airliner.

Spread over two levels, the whole of the upper deck is dedicated to Premium Class passengers. Towards the front are 14 flat-bed, massage-equipped Private Suites. Remote controlled doors, a work desk, an electrically controlled mini-bar and the most advanced in-flight entertainment system available to travellers are all part of this luxury sanctuary eight miles up.

But the First Class feature that will be the talk of the travel industry, the media and travellers around the world is the Onboard Shower Spa, brought to you by the airline's premium spa brand, Timeless Spa. Emirates promised some special surprises with its A380 and this is one of them - a real sprinkling of home comforts above the clouds.

Stroll into Business Class and you will find a new generation of intelligent seating, designed to ensure all seats have aisle access. There is a cleverly designed table that never gets in your way, a seat that slickly becomes a flat bed and laptop stowage for when you want to switch from work to fun, and enjoy the award winning ice entertainment system, available to all onboard.

You may expect Economy Class to be forgotten inside this superjumbo. Nothing could be further from the truth. More generous seats, wider aisles, gourmet chef-prepared meals and the Emirates' personal touch means passengers could be mistaken for thinking they have settled in the wrong cabin class.

For such a colossal aircraft, there's another surprise - the quietness. Its GP7200 engines, manufactured by the Engine Alliance, are as quiet as engines get. More help to passengers wanting a good night's sleep and a great deal more peaceful for those on the ground.

When talking about the A380, it is probably best to dismiss all conventional expectations you may have about air travel. The Emirates' A380 is an entirely different experience.